Human-Ocean inter connectedness in rocket says clean up!, The blue giant,And ocean soup: Anecocriticism Perspective

Abstract

This study employs an Ecocriticism theory to examine the representation of environmental awareness and ocean literacy in children's picturebooks. It focuses on three ocean-themed picturebooks: Rocket Says Clean Up! (2020) by Nathan Bryon, The Blue Giant (2021) by Katie Cottle, and Ocean Soup (2021) by Meeg Pincus. The study aims to investigate how human–ocean interconnectedness is represented through the narrative and visual elements of these picturebooks and to identify the underlying environmental ideology. Using a qualitative method, this research applies Cheryll Glotfelty's Ecocritical theory. The findings reveal that the three picturebooks portray the relationship between humans and the ocean as one of mutual interdependence through emotional attachment, the recognition of humans as contributors to the marine ecological crisis, and the reciprocal relationship between human actions and ocean conditions. Although these representations of human-ocean interconnectedness promote children's ecological awareness of marine issues, the conservation narratives in three selected picturebook remain predominantly anthropocentric, positioning humans as the primary agents and dominant actors in their relationship with the ocean.